ROUND 5: The Other Side of an Iceberg
by CURUS
Summary: AU: After the war, Percy elopes with Penelope Clearwater and in the dead of night expresses his thoughts and feelings. A story for the Quidditch League FanFiction Competition.


**ROUND 5**

**Title**/Link: The Other Side of an Iceberg

**Team**: Tutshill Tornadoes

**Position**: Chaser 3

**A/N**: Welcome to the fifth round of The Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition! Honestly, one of the most difficult things to write ever. I struggled just to make it meet the word count. I'm just happy I didn't give up!

_Guideline:_

Write a story about Percy Weasley

_Prompts: _

3. Winter

6. Candle

11. White Flag by Dido

Details: 1000 – 3000 WORDS. Rated K

(989 words)

AU

_Tic Toc Tic Toc_

The metronomic sound of the clock reminded me that I was late. It wasn't like me to be anything but on time, but when it came to them I just didn't know how to act. They were not like me, they were not like anyone and I supposed they expected me to love them regardless. I glanced at the cuckoo clock hanging in the dim cabin light, wondering if it were really necessary to write this letter at all. I spent months away from them, I had a normal mediocre life and I liked it like that. Having them around would complicate that. They knew that, that's why they never bothered me to be around, except mum, but the others gave me my space and I appreciated it. I guess they thought I didn't love them, I mean, my attitude could testify to that but I did, only because they were family. It was obvious they didn't like the way I handled things, the way I went about things… I couldn't blame them. Again, they were so odd, so different. They were content over the simplest things, living a life focused on happiness and health while I concentrated mostly on assimilating. My palms were sweaty, I was sweaty, for a cabin up north in the dead of a winter night it was warm, the fire place was doing a good job of keeping of keeping the temperature hot. I stood up, candles strewn about every shelf keeping the place dimply lit yet the little light in the cozy cabin made her face glow. I couldn't help but marvel at her beauty, sleeping peacefully on our couch. My wife, the mother of my unborn child… I was starting a family and it would be nothing like theirs.

_Tic Toc Tic Toc_

I walked over to the little window that hung over my desk, the windowsill covered in the descending snowflakes and struggled a bit to crack open the window for some air. The glass immediately fogged while a stiff cold wind blew upon the parchment I had stacked neatly on the wooden desk. My candle flickered and wavered and the wind managed to spill a bit of ink. I felt less hot, not as closed in, not as stressed and panicked. What could I write? Sorry for abandoning the family? Sorry that I would rather spend my honeymoon away from my brother's funeral? I loved them, no matter what, even in strife but I couldn't focus on their sad when I was happy. I was ready to move on into my own life. If it weren't for them I wouldn't love my job, the stability, the comfort. Thanks to them, I would be able to be a wizard and know about what not to do when raising a family (two children at the max). Penelope would work, as would I and we'd have a steadier source of income. I could never gaze upon my family and hate them, I was more embarrassed of their lack of tact and manners concerning everyday life, concerning wizard society. They were so passionate about everything and the only thing I could ever be passionate about was my job.

_Tic Toc Tic Toc_

I sat back down, staring at the dancing flames atop of the candle, it breathed a vanilla scent and I remembered mom's cooking… How the scent would stir Charlie, Bill and I from our room… We'd come racing down the stairs and into the kitchen… I didn't want them to hate me for distancing myself from them but they had to understand that I was happy, regardless of their feelings, of their concern. I didn't belong in their world and I was okay with it so why couldn't they be? I picked up the quill, dipped it in the remaining ink and stared at the blank parchment.

_**Dear Weasley Family**_

No, that sounded too impersonal. I scratched out the title.

_**Hi**_

Too casual. It had been too long for me to come out of nowhere with a simple hi.

_**Salutations**_

Who the hell was I trying to impress? I scratched the top of my short orange hair wracking my brain for something, anything, to start this letter I've been dreading but have been meaning to say. I've always had trouble conveying my feelings, especially to people who always seemed to care less, those people mostly being my family. Penelope was the one who came up with the idea to write them a letter. I tended to ramble in conversations and what better way to ramble on parchment? I thought it would be easier, especially since I wouldn't have to be face to face with them and see they're disappointment at my opinions and feelings. I wasn't abandoning them, merely accepting the fact that my family and I never got along. Would they scorn me? Would they ignore me? Would they be upset since I did this so soon after Fred's death? Would they think I blamed them? Questions without answers swirled around my head and I tried to focus on something, a thought anything just so I could convey what needed to be known. A lot of things changed, a lot of plans go astray but my goals have never wavered and now that I have accomplished them I just wanted them to at least understand before they decided they didn't accept me. Then it hit me, why not just really tell them how I feel? How I always felt? I eased a sigh of relief, softly to myself. Of course, honesty was the best policy, my mother taught me that. I loved my family and I loved my sanity more and if they couldn't accept that, it was fine, I would continue to be in love with the life I built for myself with or without them. No matter what.

_**Mum, Dad, Bill, Charlie, George, Ron, Ginny…**_


End file.
